SBI Conducts Cleanliness Drive on the Occasion of Gandhi Jayanti

Mumbai, October 2, 2019: State Bank of India (SBI) organised a cleanliness drive today on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary. Rajnish Kumar, Chairman, SBI, along with senior management of the Bank, came together and cleaned the area around Dadar Chowpatty Beach in Mumbai. More than 200 SBI employees participated in this drive as part of its Swachhata Hi Sewa campaign with the theme – ‘Plastic Waste Management’. This initiative was undertaken across various offices of SBI in the country where it witnessed active participation of thousands of employees.

Last year, on Gandhi Jayanti, SBI had announced single use plastic ban in its office to cut down on the Bank’s carbon emissions and go green. The Bank has been showing remarkable progress in achieving the goal of becoming the single- use plastic-free organisation through various considerable efforts. SBI has also been contributing significantly to the Hon’ble PM’s Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and the national commitment to abolish single-use plastic by 2022.

Rajnish Kumar, Chairman, SBI, said, “This year’s Gandhi Jayanti marks a special occasion for SBI as we have nearly achieved the goal of becoming a single-use plastic-free organisation. As a responsible citizen, it is our moral responsibility to keep our nation clean, and pledge for a healthy India. We believe these kinds of cleanliness drives across the country encourages Indian citizens to come together and help turn Gandhiji’s dream of Swachh Bharat into reality.”

As part of SBI’s sustainability commitment, the Bank has been making substantial efforts such as replacing PET water bottles with water dispensers at all its offices. The Bank has also started using standardised paper folders replacing the plastic ones. In terms of food and hygiene, SBI has been taking steps to replace single-use plastic cutlery and containers in its canteens with those made from biodegradable substances.

The morning of October 2 observed SBI workforce uniting to make Dadar Beach and the rest of India dirt-free. Keeping in view the hazard associated with single-use plastic and to curb this global menace, SBI distributed bags made of jute/cotton amongst its employees and public to promote a healthy environment. The Bank is always committed to improve the quality of life in the country. With an aim to make India sustainable, SBI would be carrying out this initiative on a regular basis by engaging with local communities.